Cap feeding mechanism



Nov. 17, 1953 E. o. NINNEMAN ET AL 2,659,522

CAP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 30, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet l @@ZQW'W Nov. 17, 1953 E. o. NINNEMAN ET Al. 2,559522 CAP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 30, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 17, 1953 E. o. NINNEMAN ET Al. 2,659,522

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CAP FEEDING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 50, ,1950

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Nov. 1-7, 1953 E. o. NINNEMAN ET A| 2,659,522

CAP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Nov. so, 195o e sheets-sheet e Patented Nov. 17, 1953 CAP FEEDING MECHANISM Eric O. Ninneman, George L. Webster, John Hohl, and Olav Bjering, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application November 30, 1950, Serial N o. 198,461

(Cl. 22S-88.1)

14 Claims.

This invention relates to containersealing apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for feeding closure caps for later application to glass containers.

In the present high speed operation of contaainer sealing machines which utilize so-called stack feeding of closure caps, the closure caps often become misarranged. This results in jamming of the feeding mechanism or mutilation of the closure caps. Since the operator is occupied in keeping the stack of caps sufliciently high, he is unable to remedy the misarrangement. Frequently, the caps are inserted in an inverted position and this also results in jamming of the feed mechanism. These difficulties result in the direct stoppage of production and a high degree of Waste in materials and manpower.

It is therefore an object of this invention to eliminate the aforementioned diiculties by pro- Viding a mechanism whereby a closure cap is positively fed from a stack of closure caps without jamming or mutilation of the closure cap.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanism whereby a cap is delivered only when there is a container below and in register with the cap.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a feeding mechanism which will feed caps even though they are in an inverted position.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a rotary sealing machine in which the present invention may be embodied and produced;

Fig. 2 is an isometric elevational view of the cap feeding mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view at the line 3--3 on Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a part sectional fragmentary elevational view of the feed rolls on the cap feed mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View at the line 5-5 on Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a part sectional plan view of the portion of the rotary sealing machine which embodies our invention;

Fig. '7 is a sectional View at the line 1 1 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view at the line 8 8 on Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view at the line 9--9 on Fig. 6.

Basically, our invention comprises a mechanism which includes means for guiding a stack of caps between two rotating rolls, means on said tainers.

rolls for aligning misarranged caps, andgmeans on said rolls for separating a single cap from the stack and delivering or feeding the cap to a moving plate below the cap feed mechanism. ln addition, our invention includes means for actuating the feed mechanism to feed a closure cap only when a container is positioned below and in register With the cap feeding device.

Referring to Fig. 1 previously filled containers IIIy are fed into a sealing machine I I by suitable means herein shown as a conveyor I2 and a spiral spacer and timer I3. The sealing machine comprises 3 sections, Ifly I5 and I6. As the containers pass through the first section I4, closure caps Il are delivered or fed by the cap feeding mechanism I8 into registry with the containers and are carried along above and in register with the containers by suitable means hereinafter described. Additional means are included to insure that a cap will only be delivered when the container is below and in register with the cap as hereinafter described. i

The caps and containers are then transferred from the rst section Id to the center section I5. In this section the caps and containers may be subjected to inert gas or vaporor other head space treatment and then the caps are Sealedlo the-containers. The sealed containersare-then removed by the third section I6.

As shown-in Figs. 2 and 3, the cap feeding mechanism includes a gear housing I9 `mounted above the path of the containers. A cylindrical sleeve or bushing 20 projects through an opening in the gear housing in registry with the containers passing therebelow. The upper portion of the sleeve is in the form of a collar and is provided with guide rods 2i set therein and a set screw 22 acting upon a fixed rod 22 to mount the sleeve in fixed relation with the gear housing. The sleeve 2i) acts asa guiding and retaining means for the stack of caps Il (Fig. 2)'. lThe diameter of the sleeve is slightly greater than the diameter of the caps. Tubular projectionsz23 are fastened to the gear housing IBand project downwardly on either side of the path of the con- Drive shafts .25 extend through the projections and are spaced thereon by bushings. Bearingsy 26, spacers 21, and gears 28, are. provided on the upper part of the drive shafts 25. The gears 28 are keyed to the shafts by keys 29 and are rotated by a gear train hereinafterl described. The entire shafts 25 are held in position by nuts 3B. The lower portion of each shaft V25 is provided with a flange 3| extending outwardly substantially to the extremities of the tubular projections, and a center projection 32. extending drop-off points.

downwardly. An inside or left-hand feed roll 33', and an outside or right-hand feed roll 33 are mounted on the drive shaft by bolts 34 and are held in proper spaced relationship by spacers 35, 36. The projection 32 extends into an opening in the rolls and aids in the proper centering thereof.

As shown in Fig. 2, portions of the sleeve 20 are cut away to provide spaces 31 into which the feed rolls partially extend for reasons hereinfafter described. In addition, a section of the sleeve 2U is cut away to provide an opening 38 for viewing the movement and number of caps in the sleeve.

The feed rolls 33, 33 remove a cap I1 from the stack and deliver it as presently described. A rotating plate 39 and a stationary plate 40 are provided below the cap feeding mechanism to receive the cap after it has been delivered by the cap feed rolls as hereinafter described. Lugs or fingers 4I are positioned along the periphery of the rotating plate 39 and are held in position thereon Iby screws 42 and dowel pins 43. The plate-39 is mounted for rotation with the carriage 44 by means of bolts 45 and spaced therefrom `by spacers 46, 41. A spider or star wheel i 48 is also mounted on the carriage by the bolt 45 and a bolt 49. Thestar wheel includes a series of projections 50 and 5I which extend into the path of the containers and guide the containers below and in register with the caps. A guide rail 52 is provided on the stationary plate 40 to aid in guiding the movement of the caps. A magnet 53 is positioned directly beneath the cap feed mechanism and is set in the stationary plate 40 and held therein by retaining lug 54 and screw `clude an upwardly and inwardly tapered upper section 56, a cylindrical center section 51 and lower threaded sections 58, and 59. The upper part of the inwardly tapered portion 56 extends .slightly beyond the inside diameter of the sleeve 2liv to permit the caps to move between the rolls without jamming. A portion of the cylindrical center section 51 is raised to form a camming surface 51.

As shown in Fig. this surface extends throughout the angle A which has been preferably found to be about 90.` Y

The threaded sections 58 and 59 are separated from the center cylindrical sections 51 by ledges 60, 6l. The continuity of the ledges is broken -to provide sharp drop-offs 52, 63. As shown in Fig. 5 each of the threaded portions begins at a point onV the ledge diametrically opposite from the drop-offs and extends around said rolls to a point substantially below and slightly beyond the As further shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the camming section 51' also begins substantially on a line extending vertically from the beginning of the thread and extends in the same direction as the thread for the required distance.

As previously pointed out the diameter of the sleeve 20 is slightly greater than the diameter of the caps tofacilitate the easy movement of the caps through the sleeve. As the caps reach the taperedy surfaces of the said rolls they are brought more nearly to the center of the feed mechanism. As viewed from the top in Fig. 5,

-one which will feed a different size.

Vv align the caps (Figs. `4, 5).

-along with the rotating plate 39.

dtion of the spring 94. mountedin the clutch housing Yand actuated as 4 the left-hand roll 33 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction and the right-hand roll 33 rotates in a clockwise direction. As the feed rolls are rotated the camming portions 51 come into contact with the caps and thereby straighten and This action is obtained because the space between the camming surfaces when they are opposite each other is -equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the Icaps.

Upon further rotation of the rolls the entire stack is subjected to the drop-offs B2 and .63 and the stack drops onto the ledges 60 and 6l. These drop-offs act to further aid in straightening and aligning the caps. Upon further rotation of the feed rolls, the anges of one Aof the caps enter the screw threads and the cap 'pulls-the right-hand portion of the cap quickly downward to prevent the cap from freely mov- -ingabout and jamming the mechanism during the high speed operation. The lugs 4| contact the left-hand portion of the cap and push it As shown in Fig. 4, the lower portion of the sleeve 20 is cut away to provide a space 65 adjacent to the inside or left-hand roll 33'.. This construction facilitates the removal of the cap from the sleeve inasmuch as when the-right-hand portion of the cap is quickly brought. downward by the magnet, an additional space is needed to prevent the left- .hand portion of the cap from being jammed vagainst the rear part of the sleeve.

It has been found that the particular construction of the cap feeding mechanism will not Aonly result in a positive feed without jamming `but will also operate to feed caps which may inadvertently be placed in the stack in an upsidedown position.

Referring to the diagrammatic plan view in -Fig. 1, the cap feeding mechanism I8 is driven fby 4a gearv linkage through a clutch mechanism 61 from a power source (58.v As shown in Fig. 6,

the gears 28, which rotate the shafts 25 on which .the rolls are mounted, are meshed with gears 69 and 10 keyed to the shaft 1| and spaced thereon by spacers '12,V 13 and 14. The shaft 1I is mountedin bearings 'E5 and 16 and is provided is provided at one end with a retainer nut 84.

The other end of the shaft passes through the ,gear housing and is slidably keyed to a pawl carrier 85. The slidable connection between the shaft iig-and the pawl carrier permits easy removal ofthe cap feedl mechanism when it is desired to replace the cap feed mechanism with The pawl carrier 85 is mounted in bearings 85, 31 in the project. The cap feed clutch 88 is keyed to a shaft 39 and as shown in Fig. 7 includes a single tooth or latch 9!) on its periphery. The pawl .carrier includes an annular space in which a pawl 92 is mounted. The pawl 92 is pivoted at v a point 93 on thepawl'carrier and is formed with alatch portion 96 held inwardly under the ac- The pawl stop 95 is hereinafter described to hold one end of the pawl inwardly and prevent the latch portion 99 of the pawl from engaging the tooth 90 of the cap feed clutch 88. f

'Ihe right-hand end of the cap feed clutch is in the form of a gear and projects into a clutch drive ange 91 keyed to a drive shaft 98. A set screw and lock nut 99 are provided to project between the gear teeth and adjust the relative position of the cap feed clutchto theV drive flange for setting and timing the cap feed drive. The drive shaft 98 extends through a bearing |00 in the clutch housing and has a beveled gear keyed thereto. The beveled gear |0| is inv mesh with beveled gear |02 which in turn is `driven by a constant speed source (not shown).

-It can be seen that the power shaft 98 including the drive ange 91,'v theshaft 89`and the cap feed clutch 88 are continuously driven at a constant speed. Moreover, as long as4 the pawl stop 95 is in contact with the pawl 92, keeping the Llatch 99 away .from the tooth 90 (Fig. 7), the pawl carrier and the remaining linkage will not be rotated. However, when the 'pawl stop is moved out of contact with the pawl 92 the spring 94 will cause the pawl to pivot about the pin 93 and bring the latch portionv 96 into engagement with the tooth 90 and be carried along with the cap feed clutch 88. The pawl 92 will in turn cause the pawl carrier 95,\shaft 80, gears 19, 18, shaft 1| and gears 69 and 10 to rotate and in turn rotate the shafts 25 and the feed rolls 33, 33. The gear train is such that a single rotation of ther cap feed clutch will cause one cap to kbe fed from the stack.

The pawl stop 95 is controlled by linkage in such a manner that it is actuated only when a container is approaching the cap feed mechanism and will be in register therewith when the feeding of the cap is desired. This mechanism includes a detector bar |05 placed in the path of the containers and mounted to pivot a shaft 06 and a cross arm |01. The detector bar |05 is held in position in the path of the containers by a spring |08 acting on the cross arm |01. An extensible connector rod |09 extendsl from the cross bar |01 and is pivoted at one end to an arm ||0. This arm I0 carries a collar at one end thereof which collar is secured to a sleeve ille, the latter having a spline connection with the lower end of the rock shaft ||2. The aforementioned sleeve is mountedV in a bearing ib, as shown in Fig. 9. A lever arm ||3 extends from the top of the shaft |0 to the pawl stop 95.

The pawl stop 95 is in the shape of a dog leg pivotally mounted in the clutch housing as shown in Figs. 6', 'l and 9. Y Y

As a container approaches and contacts the detector bar |05, the entire linkage is actuated moving the pawl stop out of engagement with the pawl and permitting the feed rolls to be driven through the corresponding mechanism and thereby discharge the cap. Thetiming of the entire mechanism is such that the cap will be discharged at the instant the container-is in proper registry and relationship with the cap below the cap feed mechanism. It can furthermore readily be seen that when no container contacts the detector bar |05 the linkage will not be actuated and a cap will not be delivered.

As shown in Figs. `6 and 9, the length of the detector bar |05 is such that when containers are continuously being fed the detector bar will remain in a position away from the path of the containers and the operation of the feed mechanism will be continuous.. However, if an open ously when this occurs.

space should appear due to the absence of a container, the detector bar will swing back into the path of the containers. Through the corre-- sponding linkage, the pawl stop 95 will move into the path of the pawl 92 and cause the pawl to move out of engagement with the tooth of the cap feed clutch, stopping the rotation of the feed rolls 33, 33.

A locking brake is also provided in order that the cap feeding mechanism will stop instantane- 'I'his mechanism is mounted to act upon the pawl carrier and as shown in Fig. 8 includes arms ||5 pivoted at points |6 in the clutch housing and held against the body of the pawl carrier by means of a nut and bolt ||8 and spring ||9. Brake lining |20 is provided to prevent excessive wear of the brake arms. The brake pressure is adjusted. by adjusting the tension on the spring I9 which in turn is adjusted bythe nut and bolt |8.

Modifications may be resorted to withinthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. An apparatus for feeding closure caps oom'- prising a pair of cylindrical rolls spaced apart and mounted for rotation about their axes, means providing a channel for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly thereby restricting the channel to facilitate travel of the caps between the rolls, and the lower portion of each of said rolls including means for removing a cap from said stack and discharging it when the rolls are rotated.

2. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a pair of vertical rolls spaced apart and mounted for rotation about their axes, means providing a channel forr guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly thereby restrictingY the channel :to facilitate movement of the caps downwardly between the rolls, the lower portion of each-of said rolls being of greater diameter than the center portion and having threads formed on the .surface thereof, the threads on each of said rolls being opposite in direction, and means for rotating the rolls. l

3. An apparatus for feeding closure caps -comprising a series of vertical rolls spaced apart and mounted for rotation on their axes, means for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly to facilitate the downward movement of the caps therebetween, the center portion of each of the rolls having a cylindrical surface, a portion of said cylindrical surface being raised to form a cam, the lower portion ofA each of said rolls being cylindrical and of larger diameter than the center portion, a sharp ledge forming the line of demarcation between the two cylindrical portions, said sharp ledge including a break in the continuity thereof resulting in a distinct change in level of the ledge, the surface of each of said lower portions being formed with an internal thread, the threads on said surfaces being opposite in direction. 1

4. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a series of cylindrical rolls spaced apart and mounted for rotation about their axes,

`means providing a channel for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost vportion of each of said rollsebeingtaperedupwardly and inwardly thereby restricting the chan- `nel to .facilitate travel of the caps between the rolls, and the lower portion of each of the rolls including means for removing a cap from said stack and discharging 'it when the rolls are rotated.

5. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a series of vertical rolls spaced apart and kmounted for rotation about their" axes, means providing a channel for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost por- .tion of each of said rolls being tapered inwardly thereby restricting the channel to facilitate movement of the caps .downwardly between the rolls, the lower. portion of each of said rolls being of greater diameter than the center portion and having threads formed thereon, and means for rotating the rolls.

. 6. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a pair of vertical rolls spaced -apart and mounted for rotation on their axes, means for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls beingtapered upwardly and inwardly to facilitate the vdownward movement of the caps thereberolls being opposite in direction, each of said threads beginning at a point diametrically opposite fromv thebreak in the ledge and extending around the lower cylindrical section to a point substantiallyrbeyond and below said break inthe. ledge, said camming surface extending from a point nearA the beginning of the thread Lfor substantially 90 in the direction of the thread.

, 7.. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a horizontally traveling conveyor for carrying open containers and a cap feeding mechanism mounted above said conveyor and comprising Aa vertical roll mounted for rotation on either sideof theconveyor, means for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, Ithe uppermost portion ofeach of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly to facilitate the downward movementpofthe caps therebetween, the center portion of each of said rolls having a'cy- `lindrical surface, a portion of said cylindrical surface being raised to form a cam, the lower lportion of ,each of said rolls being cylindrical and 0f larger diameter than the center portion, a

sharp ledge forming the line of demarcation between the rtwo cylindrical portions, said sharp ledge including a break in the continuity thereof resulting .in a distinct change in leveljof the ledge, 4the surface of each of said lower portions being` formed with an internal thread, the threadson the rolls being opposite in direction, and means vpositioned in the path of the .containers and at a distance from the cap feeding mechanism and actuated by the containers to rotate the rolls vin opposite directions.

8. An apparatus for. feeding closure caps comprising a horizontally traveling conveyor for carrying opencontainers and a cap feeding mechanism mounted above said conveyor and comprising a vertical roll mounted for rotation on either side of the conveyor, means for vguiding a lstack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly to facilitate the downward movement of the caps therebetween, the center portion of each of said rolls having a cylindrical surface, a portion of said cylindrical surface being raised to form a cam, the lower portion of each of said rolls being cylindrical and of larger diameter than the center portion, a sharp ledge forming the line of demarcation between the two cylindrical portions, said sharp edge including a break in the continuity thereof resulting in a distinct change in level of the'ledge, the surface of each of said lower portions being formed with an internal thread, the threads on the rolls being opposite in direction, each of said threads beginning at a point diametrically opposite from the break in the ledge and extending around the lower cylindrical surface to a point substantially beyond and below the break in the ledge, said camming surface extending from a point near the beginning of the thread for substantially 90 in the direction of the thread, and means positioned in the path of the containers and at a distance from the cap feeding mechanism and actuated by 'the containers to rotate the rolls in opposite directions.

9. An apparatus for feeding closure' caps comprising a horizontally traveling conveyor for carrying open containers and a cap feeding mechanism mounted above said conveyor and comprising a vertical roll mounted for rotation on either side of the conveyor, means for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly to facilitate the downward movement of the caps therebetween, the center portion of each of said rolls having a cylindrical surface, a portion of said cylindrical surface being raised to form a cam, the lower portion of each of said rolls being cylindrical and of larger diameter than the center portion, a sharp ledge forming the line of demarcation between the two cylindrical portions, said sharp ledge including a break in the continuity thereof resulting in a distinct change in level of the edge, the surface of each of said lower portions being formed with an internal thread, the threads on the rolls being opposite in direction, each of said threads beginning at a point diametrically opposite from the break in the ledge andextending around the lower cylindrical surface to a point substantially ybeyond and below the break in the ledge, said caming surface extending from a point near the beginning of the thread for substantially 90 in the direction of thread, means for rotating said rolls in opposite directions, a clutch between said means and the rolls for controlling the movement of the rolls, means positioned in the path `of the containers and connected to said clutch to actuate said clutch when contacted by a container and drive the rolls thereby discharging a cap from the stack.

10. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising ahorizontally traveling conveyor for carrying open containers and a cap feeding mechanism mounted above said conveyor and comprising a vertical roll mounted for rotation on either side of the conveyor, means for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly to facilitate the downward movement of the caps therebetween, the center portion of each of said rolls having a cylindrical surface, a portion of said cylindrical surface being raised to form a cam, the lower portion of each of said rolls being cylindrical and of larger diameter than the center portion, a sharp ledge forming the line of demarcation between the two cylindrical portions, said sharp ledge including a break in the continuity thereof resulting in a distinct change in level of the ledge, the surface of each of said lower portions being formed with an interna-l thread, the threads on the rolls being opposite in direction, each of said threads beginning at a point diametrically opposite from the break in the ledge and extending around the lower cylindrical surface to a point substantially beyond and below the break in the ledge, said caming surface extending from a point near the beginning of the thread for substantially 90 in the direction of thread, means for rotating said rolls in opposite directions, a clutch between said means for controlling the movement of the rolls, means positioned in the path of the containers and connected to said clutch to actuate said clutch when contacted by a container Iand rotate the rolls thereby discharging a cap from the stack, a horizontal moving plate mounted between said cap feeding mechanism and the containers on the conveyor and means for moving said plate at the same speed as the conveyor.

l1. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a horizontally traveling conveyor for carrying open containers and a cap feeding mechanism mounted above said conveyor and comprising a vertical roll mounted for rotation on either side of the conveyor, means for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly to facilitate the downward movement of the caps therebetween, the center portion of each of said rolls having a cylindrical surface, a portion of said cylindrical surface being raised to form a cam, the lower portion of each of said rolls being cylindrical and of larger diameter than the center portion, a sharp ledge forming the line of demarcation between the two cylindrical portions, said sharp ledge including a break in the continuity thereof resulting in a distinet change in level `of the ledge, the surface of each of said lower portions being formed with an internal thread, the threads on the rolls being opposite in direction, each of said threads beginning at a point diametrically opposite from the break in the ledge and extending around the lower cylindrical surface to a point substantially beyond and below the break in the ledge, said camming surface extending from a point near the beginning of the thread for substantially 90 in the direction of thread, means for rotating said rolls in opposite directions, a clutch between said means for controlling the movement of the rolls, means positioned in the path of the containers and connected to said clutch to actuate said clutch when contacted by a container and permit rotation of the rolls thereby discharging a cap from the stack, a moving plate mounted between said cap feeding mechanism and the containers on the conveyor, means for moving said plate at the same speed as the conveyor, and a magnet rigidly mounted below said moving plate and in register with the cap feeding mechanism.

12. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a horizontally traveling conveyor for carrying open containers into a position to receive a cap and a cap feeding apparatus mounted above said conveyor, said apparatus comprising a pair of vertical rolls spaced aparthorizontally andmounted for rotation about their axes, means providing a channel for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly thereby restricting the channel to facilitate travel of the caps between the rolls and the lower portion of each of said rolls including means for removing a cap from said stack and discharging it when the rolls are rotated, means for rotating said rolls, a clutch between the last named means and the rolls for controlling the movement of the rolls, means positioned in the path of the containers and at a distance from the cap feeding mechanism and actuated by the containers to actuate the clutch and thereby rotate the rolls.

13. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a horizontally traveling conveyor for carrying open containers into a position to receive a cap and a cap feeding apparatus mounted above said conveyor, said apparatus comprising a pair of vertical rolls spaced apart horizontally and mounted for rotation about their axes, means providing a channel for guiding a stack of closure caps between said rolls, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly thereby restricting the channel to facilitate travel of the caps between the rolls, the lower portion of each of said rolls being of greater diameter than the center portion and having threads formed on the surface thereof, the threads on each of said rolls being opposite in direction, means for rotating the rolls, a clutch between the last named means and the rolls for controlling the movement of the rolls, means positioned in the path-of the containers and at a distance from the cap feeding mechanism and actuated by the containers to actuate the clutch and thereby rotate the rolls. 1

14. An apparatus for feeding closure caps comprising a pair of cylindrical rolls mounted for rotation about vertical axes and spaced apart, means providing a vertically disposed channel through which a stack of closure caps are fed downwardly, said rolls being positioned beneath and in register with the said channel, the uppermost portion of each of said rolls being tapered upwardly and inwardly, the upper ends of the rolls being spaced apart the full width of said channel to facilitate the travel of the caps from the channel to positions between the rolls, the spacing between the rolls at the bottom of said tapered portions being narrower than the lower end of said channel and thereby restricting the passageway through which the caps are fed, the lower portion of each of said rolls including means for removing a cap from said stack and discharging it while the rolls are rotating.

ERIC O. NINNEMAN. GEORGE L. WEBSTER. JOHN HOHL.

OLAV BJERING.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,610,862 Kronquest Dec. 14, 1926 1,641,476 Edwards Sept. 6, 1927 2,529,199 Stover Nov. '7, 1950 2,556,214 Pottle June 12, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 889,085 France Dec, 30, 1943 

